Posted by “ ‘Twas the night b’fore Christmas, when all ‘round the house, not a critter was stirrin’, not even a mouse.” Those are the words a father said as he quietly waits for Santa to arrive.
That’s the beginning of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, a story by Melodye Rosales, which retells Clement C. Moore’s book A Visit From St. Nicholas – with a twist. Santa is black.
In this African-American version, a man describes the feelings he has on Christmas Eve, right before Santa Claus comes! He hears Santa, he gets out of bed, and soon he and his daughter are experiencing the best night of their lives!
I think that it’s cool how the book has a black Santa in it. Usually Santa is portrayed as an old, fat, white man with a beard. Also, the narrator in the book has a Southern accent, so it was easier to imagine how his voice sounded.
Even though the book didn’t hold my attention that much, I recommend it to kids between ages 5 to 7. Younger kids who are really excited about Santa would love this book, so I rate it 3 out of 4 roses!
Elena Reads and Reviews 